Netflix made our freaking year with the announcement that they have renewed one of our favorite new shows Sweet Magnolias, which warms our hearts almost as much as the town of Serenity can.
And it’s a good thing, too, because we have a ton of questions. Questions that, had we not gotten the answers to, we would’ve rioted.
So now that Netflix has officially renewed this amazing show for another 10-episode season, I can finally write this post I’ve been meaning to for months.
Here are five questions that we NEED answered in Sweet Magnolias season 2:
1. Who the hell is in the car?
I mean, come on, that’s the question that we all need to know. There was no way Netflix couldn’t not renew this show for a second season with that massive cliffhanger left to be answered. While we already know Kyle was in the car, he wasn’t alone in the car. And given that we saw Ty, Annie and Nellie chasing after him when he ran out from the party, it’s safe to say it’s one of them.
My best bet is Ty or Annie, given the implications and storylines one of them being in the car would bring to the show. With Ty, it would throw a wrench into his baseball career. With Annie, it would serve as a way for her parents to bond and work things out. And obviously, if it’s either Ty or Annie, it would definitely serve to build angst in their budding, slowburn romance. Which I’m all for, to be honest. In a weird way, I want it to be Ty or Annie. (And that they survive, obviously.) Sorry not sorry, I’m all about that angst.
2. Is Dana Sue actually Isaac’s mother?
Not to be overshadowed by the massive cliffhanger that was the car wreck, but there’s another big cliffhanger that we were left with — of the paternity variety. All season, Isaac has been searching for his birth parents in Serenity. We’ve seen him question everyone from Erik to Helen and Ryan to Dana Sue and her old partner Micah. Only thing is, the latter seems like it might potentially be true.
Isaac is so convinced that Dana Sue and Micah are her parents, and their affinity to cooking (like Isaac) certainly adds fuel to the fire. We left off with Isaac asking Dana Sue if she was his mother, and she was just as shocked as we were. But she also didn’t say no. Now, her lack of an answer was certainly a tactic to leave us hanging and crawling back for more (which it worked!) Or maybe it is true. Just imagine the drama, the emotion and the stakes that would come from that. Like many, all I want is for Isaac to find clarity. So I need him to find a definitive answer to these paternity questions in season 2.
3. Can we expect to see Ty and Annie romance?
I would never have forgiven Netflix if they hadn’t renewed Sweet Magnolias so I could see where Ty and Annie’s love story goes next. The slowburn, friends-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites, and Ty and Annie perfected it in season 1. Although, I would’ve loved to have seen more from them rather than just sporadically in a few episodes. But that doesn’t matter, because we’re going to get to see more of them and watch as their relationship develops into something more. I mean, come on, this show was throwing signs all over the place in season 1.
Annie has made it clear her feelings for Ty run deeper than friendship, and while Ty has tried to deny it, it’s obvious that he feels the same. The longing glances, the lingering thoughts and enough chemistry to alert the world of their feelings for each other. With the car crash in the season 1 finale, it certainly presents the potential for an interesting dynamic between the pair. If it’s Annie in the car, Ty will realize how much he cares for her but also the importance of telling her. If it’s Ty, Annie will be more direct with her feelings and Ty will recognize the importance of living in the moment. I mean, there’s nothing like a near-death experience to make you confront your feelings and be open with them.
4. Are Helen and Erik finally going to explore that romantic spark?
Honestly, I think we’ve waited long enough for Helen and Erik to finally start exploring that spark that has been apparent from the pilot. If there are two people that are absolutely deserving of a great love on this show, it’s Helen and Erik. They’ve both been through a lot, and they would be really great for each other. Plus, as far as the attraction thing goes, they’ve got that and chemistry in spades.
Following that season finale where Erik showed up for Helen when she needed someone, it felt like a declaration. A sign from above. Helen wants a family — a husband, children — and there’s no doubt in my mind that she can have all of that and more with Erik. I’m ready to continue watching their love story play out. Let’s do this!
5. Who is Maddie going to choose – Cal or Bill?
I man, the answer is obvious. Maddie has to choose Cal. There’s no way Maddie would take Bill back after what he did, all the pain he caused. While Maddie has grown to respect Bill as a father — for how he helped in the previous few episodes — that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten everything he’s done. Being cordial and being intimate are two different things entirely.
So, I guess I should amend my question to: What happens with Maddie and Cal? The last we left them, Maddie and Cal had a fight after a scout came to speak to Ty. Maddie got on the defensive and the two had a heated argument, leaving things not definitively over but also not in a good place. With Kyle — and possibly Ty — in the hospital after the car wreck, I’d expect to see Cal try to be there for Maddie. And if she needs Bill there to lean on, I’d expect him to give her space. But I have a hard time believing Maddie and Cal are over. Their love story is just beginning.
Sweet Magnolias will return to Netflix for season 2.